1. Technical Field
This invention relates to addition curable liquid silicone compositions that are self-bonding to a substrate, and methods for using such an adhesive as a sealant. In particular, this invention relates to a silicone composition that is self-bonding to a substrate when it cures at room temperature, and which provides a high strength adhesive bond between two substrates without requiring humidity control or ventilation equipment.
2. Background Art
In the manufacture of ranges and oven appliances, a glass or ceramic heating surface is attached to a frame using a form-in-place gasket, seal or adhesive. The gaskets of the related art are generally made from one-part room-temperature vulcanizing (RTV) silicone sealants that typically require more than 24 hours to cure in a carefully controlled high relative-humidity environment with ventilation. Further, such one-part RTVs generally fail to provide the dimensional stability and mechanical qualities that are ideal for a seal or gasket on a range or an other appliance.
The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the related art by providing a composition that cures to form a high strength adhesive bond with properties suitable for use in sealing the parts of ranges and other appliances together, without the necessity for a controlled humidity curing environment and without necessity for special ventilation equipment. The present invention describes a self-bonding curable silicone elastomer containing, inter alia, certain unsaturated aliphatic trialkoxysilanes, such as allyltrimethoxysilane, and having physical properties ideal for bonding glass or metal substrates in glass-top or ceramic-top ranges and ovens.